1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATD) and, more particularly, to a flexible surrogate spine assembly for an ATD having an adjustable curvature that can be used to assess and predict injuries under crash, under body explosive, and aerospace ejection seat testing environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automotive, aviation, military, and other vehicle manufacturers conduct a wide variety of collision, ejection and under-body-blast (UBB) testing to measure the effects of an impact upon a vehicle and its occupants. Through the testing, a vehicle manufacturer gains valuable information that can be used to improve the impact worthiness of the vehicle.
Impact testing often involves the use of anthropomorphic test devices, better known as “crash test dummies.” During the testing, an operator places a crash test dummy inside a vehicle, and the vehicle undergoes a simulated collision, UBB, or ejection. The testing exposes the crash test dummy to high inertial loading, and sensors inside the crash test dummy, such as load cells, displacement sensors, accelerometers, pressure gauges, angle rate sensors, and the like, generate electrical signals of data corresponding to the loading. Cables or wires transmit these electrical signals of data to a data acquisition system (DAS) for subsequent processing. This data reveals information about the effects of the impact on the crash test dummy and can be correlated to the effects a similar impact would have on a human occupant.
In order to obtain more accurate test data, test engineers attempt to maximize what is known as the “biofidelity” of the crash test dummy. Biofidelity is a measure of how well the crash test dummy reacts like a human being in a vehicle impact test environment. A crash test dummy reacting as an actual human during a collision is said to have a high biofidelity. Accordingly, a crash test dummy having a high biofidelity will provide more accurate information from a collision test relative to the effect of the collision on a human being. Thus, ATD design engineers design crash test dummies with the proper anthropometry that reflects a total weight, center of gravity, mass moment of inertia and range of motion similar to that of a human body so as to increase the biofidelity of the crash test dummy.
However, it has been difficult to replicate the human spine for a crash test dummy. In particular, the human spine may have curvatures known as Kyphosis and Lordosis. Kyphosis is a curving of the spine that causes a bowing or rounding of the back, which leads to a hunchback or slouching posture. Lordosis is a curving of the spine that causes an abnormal forward or inward curvature of the spine in the lumbar region of a portion of the lumbar and cervical vertebral column. Two segments of the vertebral column, namely cervical and lumbar, are normally lordotic, that is, they are set in a curve that has its convexity anteriorly (the front) and concavity posteriorly (behind), in the context of human anatomy. As a result of the curvatures, Kyphosis and Lordosis angles may be measured. For example, a male may have a Kyphosis angle between 48-60° and a Lordosis angle is between 24-46°.
It is desirable to provide a surrogate spine for a crash test dummy that has improved biofidelity for the crash test dummy. It is also desirable to provide a surrogate spine for a crash test dummy that can replicate the Kyphosis and Lordosis angles. It is further desirable to provide a flexible surrogate spine for a crash test dummy. It is also desirable to provide a modular surrogate spine for a crash test dummy. It is still further desirable to provide a surrogate spine for a crash test dummy having spine and rib load cells. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a flexible, modular, surrogate spine for use in a crash test dummy so that biofidelity of the crash test dummy is improved.